Saturday, June 15, 2013

Operation Warboard: Churchills!

Last post ended with my infantry company bogged down, facing two Stug's across a narrow valley. 





 Fortunately the UPS truck arrived and brought reinforcements in the form of a troop of Churchills.

 Wasting no time they were sent right to the front.


Even as they arrived a platoon of German infantry appeared and assaulted the middle ridge. 1st platoon was able to hold on, just.



 With the threat of Jerry's infantry removed for the moment, the infantry tanks moved into position to dual with the Stugs.



Almost immediately one was immobilized. On the plus side the vehicle on my left was able to take out a machine gun nest that opened up on my advancing troops.


Pinning the enemy right with fire, I moved 2 and 3 platoon to cross the open ground and seize the far wood. That done the Stug's would be flanked ad forced to withdraw. That done, the Stug that was now also immobilized would fall into the bag.

No sooner had 2 platoon moved out then yet another platoon of German infantry and a sniper as well, opened fire!


Too late to alter plans now we pressed on! Another Stug was immobilized and the previously immobilized vehicle was knocked out!


My joy was short lived as a machine gun brought down the bulk of 3 platoon with one well placed burst. 


Even as 3 platoon was being mauled, 2 platoon took the wood line (with the help of a Churchill). 

All of a sudden a third German platoon assaulted my position on the middle ridge from my right flank!

1 platoon was sent packing back down the hill.

HQ platoon was forced to charge in order to blunt the attack.

The attack was beaten off but now before my rightmost Churchill had been knocked out.


That flank attack seemed to have been the German's last gasp. Now devoid of infantry support, the Stug's were doomed.

One of my chaps potted the immobilized vehicle with a well placed PIAT round.

The remaining Stug withdrew from the field.

With that my objective had been achieved although at some cost.

Total German forces encountered amounted to an infantry company with some support assets and weak platoon of Stug III's.

My force consisted of an infantry company and a troop of three Churchills.

German losses amounted to 26 infantry and 2 assault guns.

British loses were 18 infantry and 1 tank, with a second tank immobilized.

All in all Operation Warboard provided a fun game that was very easy to play. What more could one ask for?

Well obviously, in my case, an AI for my opponent...which various Two Hour Wargame mechanics handled quite well. Jerry would have done well to play less aggressively but then that is what the dice are for; to make sure that the enemy is not predictable. Certainly kept me on my toes!

British figures were from Airfix, with most of the Germans from Valient, although I did use Airfix Germans for the sniper and the PEF's. All of the AFV's were from Forces of Valor.

Hope you enjoyed the report and thanks for stopping by!

4 comments:

  1. I'm tempted by Op Warboard, I just wish it was available on Amazon as I have a gift card burning a hole in my pocket. So you used warboard for the rules and NUTS for the AI?

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    1. Hi Sean,

      That's right. The games are slightly different in scope. A NUTS! squad is a Warboard platoon. A tank is still one tank though so just adjust squad to platoon, and platoon to company when using the reinforcements table.

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  2. Are you using the Op Warboard "instruments of war" the various grids?I bought the hard-bound on a whim for 4 dollars 30 years ago. glad i did.

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    1. Oh yes! The MG template is what got me hooked : )

      For now I just drew them on graph paper to try out the rules.

      Broke the MG template down into three smaller pieces; short, medium, and long range. As aiming is always along the center line its no problem using them this way and in fact a bit less cumbersome.

      Would love to get laser etched plastic versions...

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